Universal Data link files are handy for select data sources but there isn’t a way to create/edit this files. This little class shows how to read/write a UDL file.

'-----------------------' The cUDL Class'-----------------------'please visit www.shoutsoft.com for Tools building VB database application.Private Const CON_UDL_LINE1 = "[oledb]"Private Const CON_UDL_LINE2 = "; Everything after this line is an OLE DB " _    & "initstring"Private mvarADOConnectString As StringPublic Property Let ADOConnectString(ByVal vData As String)    mvarADOConnectString = vDataEnd PropertyPublic Property Get ADOConnectString() As String    ADOConnectString = mvarADOConnectStringEnd PropertyPublic Function CreateUDL() As Boolean    On Error GoTo Err_CreateUDL    Dim pDataLink As New DataLinks, pConn As Connection        Set pConn = pDataLink.PromptNew    pConn.Open    mvarADOConnectString = pConn.ConnectionString    pConn.Close        CreateUDL = True    Exit FunctionErr_CreateUDL:    CreateUDL = FalseEnd FunctionPublic Function OpenUDL(Optional ByVal strConnectString As String) As Boolean    On Error GoTo Err_OpenUDL    Dim pDataLink As New DataLinks, pConn As New Connection    If mvarADOConnectString = vbNullString Then        OpenUDL = CreateUDL        Exit Function    Else        pConn.ConnectionString = mvarADOConnectString        If pDataLink.PromptEdit(pConn) Then            pConn.Open            mvarADOConnectString = pConn.ConnectionString            pConn.Close        End If    End If    OpenUDL = True    Exit FunctionErr_OpenUDL:    OpenUDL = FalseEnd FunctionPublic Sub SaveToFile(ByVal strUDLFile As String)    Dim strBuf As String, intFileNum As Integer        strBuf = CON_UDL_LINE1 & vbCrLf & CON_UDL_LINE2 & vbCrLf & _        mvarADOConnectString    strBuf = StrConv(strBuf, vbUnicode)    intFileNum = FreeFile    If Dir(strUDLFile) <> vbNullString Then Kill strUDLFile    Open strUDLFile For Binary As #intFileNum    Put #intFileNum, , strBuf    Close #intFileNumEnd SubPublic Function LoadFromFile(ByVal strUDLFile As String) As Boolean    Dim intFileNum As Integer, strBuf As String, i As Integer    intFileNum = FreeFile    Open strUDLFile For Binary As #intFileNum    strBuf = Input(LOF(intFileNum), #intFileNum)    Close #intFileNum    strBuf = StrConv(strBuf, vbFromUnicode)    i = InStr(strBuf, "Provider=")    If i > 0 Then        mvarADOConnectString = Mid(strBuf, i)        LoadFromFile = True    Else        LoadFromFile = False    End IfEnd Function

To test the cUDL class, create a form and add three buttons on it (named cmdLoad, cmdSave, and cmdCreate) and a CommonDialog control (named dlgCommonDialog), then add this code:

Private Sub cmdLoad_Click()    Dim m_udl As New cUDL, m_FileName As String        With dlgCommonDialog        .DialogTitle = "Open"        .CancelError = False        .Flags = cdlOFNHideReadOnly        .FileName = vbNullString        'ToDo: set the flags and attributes of the common dialog control        .Filter = "Microsoft data link files (*.udl)|*.udl"        .ShowOpen        m_FileName = .FileName        If m_FileName = vbNullString Then Exit Sub    End With        With m_udl        .LoadFromFile m_FileName        .OpenUDL    End WithEnd SubPrivate Sub cmdNew_Click()    Dim m_udl As New cUDL, m_FileName As String        With dlgCommonDialog        .DialogTitle = "Save"        .CancelError = False        .Flags = cdlOFNOverwritePrompt        'ToDo: set the flags and attributes of the common dialog control        .Filter = "Microsoft data link files (*.udl)|*.udl"        .FileName = vbNullString        .ShowSave        m_FileName = .FileName        If m_FileName = vbNullString Then Exit Sub    End With        With m_udl        If .CreateUDL Then .SaveToFile m_FileName    End WithEnd SubPrivate Sub cmdSave_Click()    Dim m_udl As New cUDL, m_FileName As String        With dlgCommonDialog        .DialogTitle = "Save"        .CancelError = False        .Flags = cdlOFNOverwritePrompt        'ToDo: set the flags and attributes of the common dialog control        .Filter = "Microsoft data link files (*.udl)|*.udl"        .FileName = vbNullString        .ShowSave        m_FileName = .FileName        If m_FileName = vbNullString Then Exit Sub    End With        With m_udl        If .OpenUDL Then .SaveToFile m_FileName    End WithEnd Sub

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